Editorial standards
How we choose, write, review and update every guide on the Encord Blog.
Last updated October 18, 2026
Our purpose
We publish clear, judgment-free guides for adults exploring desire, dating and relationships. Every guide aims to answer a real question accurately and kindly.
How we choose topics
We write about the questions people actually ask: from our readers, from Encord members, and from what people search for. We cover a topic only when we can add something genuinely useful, and we'd rather publish fewer, better guides than chase every search term.
How guides are written
Most guides run in one of three columns: First Steps (Wren), The Long Game (Marcus) and Open Table (Diane). Each column name is a pen name kept by members of our writing team who share that column's perspective and experience, so a column can outlast any one writer. Guides without a column byline are written by the Encord editorial team. Every guide, whoever writes it, is edited and fact-checked by the editorial team before it goes live.
Expert review
We're building a panel of qualified reviewers, such as sex educators and kink-aware therapists, for guides that touch on health, safety or psychology. Until a reviewer is confirmed, those guides are fact-checked by the editorial team against published research, with sources listed at the end. When a guide has had expert review, the reviewer is named at the top of it. We never claim a review a guide hasn't had.
Sources and evidence
We rely on peer-reviewed research, recognised health organisations and qualified experts. Sources are listed at the end of each guide.
Use of AI tools
AI tools help draft some guides. A person on our team edits every draft in the column's voice, checks the facts against sources and approves it before it's published. We never publish guides in bulk or without human review.
Content boundaries
The blog is for adults 18 and over. It is educational, never explicit, and everything we describe assumes clear, ongoing consent between adults.
Independence and Encord
The Encord Blog is published by Encord, and our guides link to Encord's kink quiz and app where relevant. Those links never change what a guide says or recommends.
Updates and corrections
We review guides regularly and update them when the evidence or advice changes. Updated guides show the date of the last substantial change. If you spot an error, email support@getencord.com with "Blog correction" in the subject and we'll fix it promptly.